Combined tire test-gage and valve



' K. F. LEES. COMBINED TIRE TEST GAGE AND VALVE.

AAPPLICATIDN FILED OCT. I6. T919.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Inl/6R50 2'.'

Unirse stars Pit'l'tlhll QFFICE.

KENNETH F. LEES, OF NEW HAVEN. CCNNECTICUT.

COMBINED TIRE TEST-GAGE AND VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application led October le, 1919. Serial No. 331,235.

. tion.

This invention relates to a combined pressure gage and air valve for use on pneumatic tires. More particularly, it relates to a tire pressure test gage of a character which is designed to be permanently attached to the valve stem or tube ot a pneumatic tire, and a valve which is positively operated for controlling the air passage in the air valve tube or stem. p y

In my prior` application Serial No. lf 615, tiled January 28, v1919, now Patent 1,328,572, patented Jan. 20, 1920, l have shown, described and claimed a tire test gage designed to be permanently attached to the air valve oit each tire of a vehicle, the tire air pressure indicating means which is so adjusted as to be movable only upon excess of the amount of pressure .vhich is calculated as the minimum safety pressure for the tire. The present' improvements are especially useful in connection with such type of pressure gage, although it is tobe understood that the invention is useful with pressure gages generally, and is not conlined,

to those of the type shown in said application. i

A very important feature of the present invention is comprised in a needle valve, which is positively operated, and seats upon a valve seat in the usual air valve stem.

Such Aforni of valve is especially desirable in connection With tires used upon truclrs or other heavy vehicles Where the air pressures are excessively high as compared with those of the tires in pleasure vehicles. lt has been found in practice that the ordinary spring seated check valve Will not stand up under the heavy pressures employed in the i tires of trucks or heavy vehicles, and hence a positively operated valve is essential in these tires.

Under the present invention, the positively operated air valve is in the `form of a iioating needle valve, vand has connection with its manually operable stem by a ball and socket, or other universal joint, thus permitting of a positive seating of the valve in an air-tight manner, even if the stem is slightly out of alinement with the seat, as the valve is seliadjusting- The needle valve is constructed with tvvo opposite seating faces, preferably of conical form, one ot said faces being designed to seat upon a tire valve stem for confining the air Within the tire, and the other of said 4faces being adapted to exclude the air from the plunger ci the test gage, during the inflation oit the tire. The device is provided at a point intermediate of the tvvo valve seats with a tire inliation connection, or nipple designed for coupling with an air pump or other source of air under pressure. An advantageous result which follows from the employment olf a double needle valve, in the relation described, is that it may be ernployed when in its upper position to seal lthe tire test gage plunger against air pres sure While the tire is being inflated, and in its lower position Will seal the tire valve stem against the escape of air pressure from the tire, and in its intermediate position Will permit the air under pressure to have access to the plunger ci the gage, in order to test the pressure Within the tire.

The above, and other important features of the invention, will be better understood from the following description, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the drawings 1Eigure l represents, in side elevation, a combined tire test gage and valve embodying the present invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section ot the same; and s Fig. 3 is ,a plan view.

An inner sleeve l is provided at its upper portion with an internal thread 'to engage an external thread upon the lower end portion ot the casing l, and said sleeve is provided near its lower portion with threads which engage internal threads upon an outer adjustable sleeve 2. The casing l is threaded interiorly to receive an adjustable plug 3, provided with a central bore which is in threaded engagement With the upper reduced end portion 6 of a pneumatic tire valve stem 5, which may be of the usual construction. The upper portion of the casing el is bored and iinished interiorly to form a cylinder which receives inV an air-tightV manner a plunger 7, having a cupped packing` asshown. The upper end or' the casing el is threaded externally to receive a closing cap 9, provided withv an internal thread to engage theexternal thread of the casing,V

and having an interior depending' internally threaded sleeve1portion 26. An operating stem le, which is -provided with external threads engaging the threaded extension 26, has at its upper end' an operatinghand wieel 15. rlhe lower end of. the stem has Vthreaded thereto a ca 3 16 .there bein a cavity or space between the inside or saidl cap and the end or" the stem which forms a socket or receiving chamber for a ball 18, connected by a short stem with a doubleaced needle valve 17 which is provided at its lower end with a guiding stem or rod 27 which extends down into theopen end portion of the tire air valve tube or stem 5. The valve 17, which may be regarded as a needle valve, is Vconstructed with two oppositely facing conical faces, and by reason of the fact that said valve is connected with the stem 14 by a ball and socket joint, the valve is rendered floating or self-adjustable toits seats, regardless of variations in alinement 1between the stem 1.41 and said seats. f Y

The valve 1?, being` of the floating variety, and positively operated, is Vespecially valuable in sealing enectually the'air valve `stem against the escape oiair under high pressure within the tire, and such valve has Y been vfound to be far superior, both as toV l ldurability and effectiveness, to thejordinary spring held check valve, where the tires contain air under heavy Y pressures, as in the 'case of Vtrucks and other vehicles of that type. Extending upwardly, along the inside wall of the lplunger `cylinder formed in casing 4l are two or more guide rods 8, the uppercends oi said rods being riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to test cap 10,V

which has adepending flange sliding snugly over the fixed capA 9. lreferably, portions or" the cap are cut away, as indicated at 11, Fig. 1to expose any suitable indicatingl means upon the tired cap 9,'and the pres- `ent instance l have shown a. coloredv band 32, which is preferably red, and as of a width which is less than the Vtotal width of the downwardly extending flange of the test cap 10. e. gage spring.' 12 is confined between the plunger 7 and the inner wall of the cap 9, and such spring is so Vadjusted as to its tension that its strength .will be .60 ,sutlicient to overcome any tire pressures which are below the minimum safety pressure of the tire. V`When such minimum safety pressure exceeded, however, the pressure of the spring will be overcome and the plunger will rise, carrying with it the cap 10 which will slide over the cap 9 and indicate by such movement that the pressure of that particular tire is in excess of the minimum safety pressure. It the movement of the plunger is sufficient in extent to carry the lower edge of the cap 10 to the line marking the lower edge of the red band 32, it will indicate that the tire is overinflated, and some of the air pressure may then be permitted to escape.

The casing 1 provided on one sidel at a point intermediate the upper valve seat and the' lower valve seatV 17 with a threaded boss which isA engaged by a tire intlating nipple 32, having al valve seat: upon which is seated .a spring' held' valve 23, havinga valve stem 24. This stem is guided through an aperture in a plugsurrounding the opening between the interior of casing 4 and nipple 22; The nipple 22 provides means for effecting a connection' with an air pump, or other source of air pressure, for ini'ating the tire in the usual way.V As therair is admitted to the casing 4 duringtheiniiation process at a point intermediatethe two seats of the valve 17, it will be' seen that when said vvalve is seated upon the seat 25, air may be admittedunder pressure to the tire through the valve stem 5, until thedesired amount of pressure hasbeen obtained, and at the same time the valve 17 will'prevent the pressure of the air used' to inflate the tire from acting upon the tire test gage plunger 7. VThis is Van" important result as it materially increases the lite ofthe test gage by eliminating excessive strains against the plunger spring when inflation is taking place, and it alsolreeps the indicating cap'lO. in its normal position until a test ofthe tire pressure isdesired. lf at any.

time during the inflation of the tire it should be desired to make a'testvv of the pressure in the latter, the valve 17 will simply be moved downwardly to an intermediate position, thereby opening communication between the air pressure within the tire andthe plunger 7. After the test is completed, if itis desired to further inflate theltire,y the valve 17 will be again raised and seated against the seat 25'. y K y lt at any tin'iel the operator oil a vehicle desires to ymake a test of any of the tires to which the test gage is attached, he screws the hand wheel` 15 to the lett, thereby rais-V the tube 5. The moment the valvel is raised,

air is permitted to come in contact with the plunger of .the test gage and if there is not suliicient air 1n the tire the indicating cap 10 will not move.V The operator will then continue to rotate the handle 15 until the valve reaches theseat 25,v thus sealing Vthe chamber below the plunger and preventing the air from coming rinv Contact with the latter. Connection of the nipple 23 with an iniiating device will then be made and the tire will be inflated in the usual manner, and tests may be made ot the air pressure whenever desired, by simply rotating the hand wheel 15 to the right so as to cause the valve 17 to move away from the seat 25. lt the tire is found to be properly inflated following such test, the operator will simply continue to revolve the hand wheel to the right until the needle valve is seated in the tire valve stem 5, thus sealing the latter and preventing the escape of the air from the tire.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, r relative arrangements of the parts oi. the device as above described, without departing from the broad principles of the invention, provided such changes are within the scope oi the following claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

l. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a gage arranged i'or connection with a tire air valve stein, of a positively-operated needle valve located outside of and arranged to seat upon the outer end of said stem for controlling` communication between the tire and said gage.

2. ln a device of the class described, an air pressure gage, including a springpressed plunger, means for connecting said gage to the air valve stem of a tire,and a positively-operated floating valve seating upon the open outer end of said stem Yior controlling communication between the tire and said plunger.

ln a device of the class described, a casing, an air pressure gage having a springpressed plunger in said casing, means for connecting said casing with the air valve stem oi a tire, a tire inilating connection with said casing, valve seats located on opposite sides of said connection, and a doublevalve movable between said seats and arranged when in one position to seal the tire valve stem, and when in another position to prevent access oi air under pressure to said plunger.

il. In device ot the class described, a casing arranged for connection with a tire air valve stem, an air pressure gage in said casing having a plunger, a tire inilating connection intermediate said stein and plunger, openings and valve seats in said casing and stem, and a positively7 operated valve located between said seats and adapted to engage one of said seats to confine the air to the tire and to engage the other oi said seats for preventing access oi the air under pressure to said plunger.

5. In a device of the class described, a casing arranged for connection with a tire air valve stem, an air pressure gage located permanently in said casing having a the valve stem, and plunger,

plunger, a tire inflating connection with said casing, openings and valve seats located between said connection and the tire valve stem and plunger, respectively, a floating double-faced valve located between said seats, and manually operable means for causing said valve to engage either of said seats, at will.

6. In a device of the class described, a casing arranged for connection with a tire air valve stem, an air pressure gage in said casing having a plunger, a tire inilating connection with said casing, openings and valve seats located between said connection and the valve stein, and plunger, respectively, a reciprocating valve stem, and a double-cone needle valve connected loosely with said stem and located between and adapted to be moved into engagement with either of said seats.

'i'. In a device of the class described, a casing arranged for connection with a tire air valve stein, an air pressure gage in said casing having a plunger, a tire inflating connection with said casing, openings and valve seats located between said connection and respectively, a reciprocating valve stern extending through said plunger, and a double-faced needle valve loosely connected with said stem and adapted to be moved into engagement with either of said seats.

8. In a device of 'the class described, the combination with a casing for connection with the stem of a pneumatic tire, of a positively operated needle valve arranged to engage a seat at the outer open end of said stem, an operating'stem for said valve, and ascii-adjusting connection between said last-named stem and the valve.

9. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a casing for connection with the stein ot a pneumatic tire valve, of an air pressure test gage in said casing having a plunger and indicating means operated thereby, a stem reciprocating within said plunger, and a self-adjusting valve having a loose connection with said stem and adapted' to a seat in the tire air valve stem.

10. In a device or the class described, the combination with a casing for connection with a pneumatic tire air valve stem, of a spring-pressed air gage plunger in said casing, a threaded valve stem movable axially1 through said plunger, a double-faced needle valve connected with said stem, an inflating connection with said casing, and openings and valve seats located. on opposite sides of said connection, said seats arranged to be alternately engaged by said valve at will.

il. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing to be connected with a pneumatic tire aii` valve stem, of a spring-pressed air gage plunger in said casing, a reciprocating valve stem operable through saidv plunger, a, double-faced coni- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set cal Valve havingeuniversal connection with my hand this 15th day of October A. D. said stem, openings and valve seats between 1919. Y s Y saidvalve, andy said plunger and tire Valve KENNETH F. LEES. stem, respectively, and a tire infiatingnipple Witnesses. Y conneetedwith said easing at a point inter- AGNES KENNEALLY,

`mediate said valve seats. HENRYO. KNOLL. 

